Search Results (11,347)

The increasing resistance of agricultural pests and disease-vectoring arthropods to synthetic pesticides underscores the urgent need for novel and sustainable biocidal agents. This study evaluates, for the first time, the insect antifeedant and ixodicidal activities of essential oils derived from ten Amazonian Piper species and their major constituents. Antifeedant effects were assessed against Spodoptera littoralis, Myzus persicae, and Rhopalosiphum padi, whereas ixodicidal activity was tested on Hyalomma lusitanicum. Additionally, the effects of these oils on the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne javanica were investigated. Essential oils from Piper mituense (51.6% apiol) and P. sancti-felicis (76.1% apiol) exhibited the highest bioactivity, achieving more than 75% feeding inhibition across all insect species and 100% tick mortality. P. mituense consistently demonstrated greater potency, suggesting possible synergistic interactions among its minor constituents. Principal component analysis linked apiol-rich chemotypes with broad-spectrum activity. In contrast, oils rich in oxygenated caryophyllene derivatives, particularly those from P. casapiense, showed strong selective antifeedant effects against R. padi. Pure apiol displayed activity across all assays, whereas no nematicidal effects were observed. Molecular docking analyses supported these findings, indicating that apiol can interact with acetylcholinesterase in addition to its known effect on cytochrome P450 targets. Overall, these results identify complementary Piper chemotypes with promising potential as dual-purpose biopesticides for integrated pest management strategies. Full article

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a systemic disorder associated with insulin resistance and elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the standard therapy, its long-term metabolic benefits remain inconsistent. The metabolic impact of upper airway surgery is less well defined. Methods: In this retrospective study, 49 patients with polysomnography-confirmed OSA who underwent upper airway surgery were evaluated. Respiratory and metabolic parameters—including apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)—were assessed preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. Associations between changes in AHI (ΔAHI) and insulin resistance (ΔHOMA-IR) were analyzed using correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Results: Significant improvements were observed in both respiratory and metabolic parameters. AHI decreased from 46.6 ± 25.8 to 20.7 ± 14.1 events/h (p < 0.001). Fasting plasma glucose, insulin levels, and HOMA-IR were significantly reduced postoperatively (all p < 0.05), while HbA1c showed a downward trend. Reduction in AHI was moderately correlated with improvement in insulin resistance (r = 0.527, p < 0.001). ROC analysis demonstrated modest discriminative ability of ΔAHI for identifying normalization of insulin resistance (AUC = 0.62). Conclusions: Upper airway surgery was associated with significant improvements in insulin resistance and glycemic parameters in patients with OSA. The correlation between airway improvement and metabolic change supports a physiological link between upper airway obstruction and insulin sensitivity. These findings suggest that upper airway surgery may represent a clinically relevant adjunct within multimodal strategies for metabolic risk reduction, particularly in patients unable to tolerate CPAP therapy. Full article

Asymmetric SiC membranes with surface pore sizes ranging from 0.12 to 0.31 μm at a constant open porosity of approximately 42% were fabricated by dip-coating SiC support followed by sintering from 1700 to 2000 °C. The effect of membrane structural constants (hydraulic resistance (k₁), pore size exponent (k₂), and shape factor (k₃)) on PWP were evaluated by comparing the symmetric and asymmetric structures. In addition, the experimentally determined values of PWP were quantitatively analyzed by comparing with theoretically predicted values obtained using the Kozeny–Carman (K–C) and Hagen–Poiseuille (H–P) models. Despite having a smaller pore size, the asymmetric membranes exhibited high PWP (1257-3883 LMH) due to decreased flow resistance (low k₁), enhanced pore size effect (high k₂), and improved flow network (high k₃) as compared to symmetric membranes. The hydrophilicity of the prepared membranes improved remarkably, with increasing average surface roughness (102.3 nm to 161.0 nm) due to an increase in pore size, which also caused a decrease in water contact angle (WCA) from approximately 27.44° to 21.67° with increasing sintering temperature (1700–2000 °C). Furthermore, the prepared membrane separation performance was found to be affected by its pore size, and the 1900 °C sintered SiC membrane showed optimal gradient profile and pore structure, demonstrating its practical reusability and scalability for O/W wastewater treatment. Full article

Grapevine downy mildew, caused by the oomycete pathogen Plasmopara viticola (P. viticola), is one of the most devastating diseases threatening the global grape industry. The pathogen invades host plants through stomata, triggering a series of highly coordinated physiological disorders and biochemical defense events. This review systematically summarizes the dynamic changes in morphological structures (stomatal characteristics), physiological functions (photosynthesis, membrane system integrity, and carbon metabolism), and multi-level biochemical defense systems (reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzyme system, phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway, pathogenesis-related proteins, and phenolic compounds) in grapevines following infection. It focuses on analyzing the differences in the timing, intensity, and metabolic reprogramming of defense responses between resistant and susceptible cultivars, pointing out that the essence of disease resistance lies in early pathogen recognition and rapid defense induction. The conflicting conclusions regarding indicators such as soluble sugars, peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) are discussed from the perspectives of experimental systems, cultivar genetic backgrounds, and pathogen physiological race differences. Furthermore, the known physiological and biochemical alterations are linked to upstream signaling pathways, including salicylic acid and jasmonic acid (SA/JA), calcium signaling, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Recent advances in revealing resistance mechanisms in the omics era are also introduced. Finally, future research directions are proposed, including constructing multi-indicator dynamic evaluation models, verifying key gene functions using gene editing, exploring the potential of epigenetic regulation, and developing integrated control strategies combined with microbiome research. This review aims to provide theoretical support for grapevine downy mildew resistance breeding and sustainable disease management. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly detected in dairy products, raising food-safety concerns. Their behavior in complex food matrices and interactions with probiotic microorganisms remain poorly understood. This exploratory study evaluated storage-dependent changes in operationally defined, digestion-resistant recoverable residues in yogurt containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (ATCC 15697). Yogurt samples were prepared with polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS), individually and in combination, and analyzed over 21 days of refrigerated storage. Gravimetric values served as relative, operational indicators of recoverable residues—not validated absolute polymer masses—while polymer identity was qualitatively confirmed by pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). B. longum subsp. infantis remained viable throughout storage (6.3–8.2 log₁₀ CFU/g). All MP-containing groups showed consistent storage-associated decreases in recoverable residue fractions, greatest in PP, followed by PE and PS; probiotic-free controls remained stable. Polymer-specific Py-GC/MS signals were detectable at all time points. Because polymer identity was retained and the workflow was not validated for absolute recovery, findings are interpreted as storage-associated changes in extractability, filterability, and/or residue recovery—not as polymer degradation, mineralization, or biological removal. These in vitro observations are limited to the yogurt matrix and do not support extrapolation to livestock exposure, human dietary risk, or farm-to-fork transfer. Within these limits, the findings provide a preliminary, hypothesis-generating perspective on probiotic–microplastic interactions in fermented dairy products. Full article

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an escalating threat to global health, agriculture, and the environment, demanding urgent multisectoral action under the One Health framework. Despite global awareness efforts, understanding of AMR among the general population remains insufficient, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of the Brazilian population regarding AMR. Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms between April and August 2025, resulting in 945 valid responses after data cleaning. Quasi-Poisson models were applied to identify demographic predictors of KAP scores while logistic regression models were used to assess the association between KAP scores and antibiotic use-related practices. Results: Education level was the strongest predictor of higher KAP scores, whereas age and gender showed inconsistent influence. Only 40.3% of respondents correctly identified antibiotics among commonly used medicines, and 25.9% reported proper disposal of antibiotic packaging. More than half (54.2%) were willing to pay more for antibiotic-free products, although only 26.7% had ever noticed such labeling. Network analysis of open-ended responses indicated that concerns about potential health risks and AMR awareness were the primary motivators for purchasing antibiotic-free products. Conclusions: These findings reveal significant gaps in public understanding of antibiotic use and resistance in Brazil, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted educational initiatives, improved public communication, and behavioral interventions to support antimicrobial stewardship and sustainable antibiotic use. Full article

Background/Objectives: The emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum highlights the need for new antiplasmodial compounds with distinct mechanisms of action. Microbial secondary metabolites, particularly from Streptomyces species, remain important sources of bioactive molecules. This study aimed to evaluate antiplasmodial metabolites associated with a Mongolian Streptomyces isolate. Methods: Streptomyces sp. strain D10 was isolated from Mongolian soil samples and extracted with ethyl acetate. Bioassay-guided fractionation was performed, followed by LC–HRMS analysis and GNPS-based spectral dereplication. Antiplasmodial activity was evaluated against P. falciparum 3D7, K1, and Dd2 strains using a SYBR Green I assay. Cytotoxicity was assessed in HSF cells. Stage-specific susceptibility assays were conducted using synchronized 3D7 parasites. Comparative docking analyses against β-hematin and the chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT), together with target prediction and molecular docking analyses, were performed to explore potential mechanisms. In vivo efficacy was evaluated using a Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL mouse model. Results: Fractionation yielded an active fraction (C2), and LC–HRMS and GNPS-based dereplication suggested a bile acid-like metabolite, with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) returned as a putative spectral library candidate associated with fraction C2. Fraction C2 and UDCA showed comparable antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum 3D7 (IC₅₀ = 6.55 ± 3.00 and 4.68 ± 0. 65 µg/mL, respectively) without detectable cytotoxicity up to 200 µg/mL. Activity was retained against multidrug-resistant K1 and Dd2 strains. Stage-specific assays demonstrated inhibitory activity across ring, trophozoite, and schizont stages without significant stage-dependent differences. Comparative docking analyses suggested interaction profiles distinct from chloroquine in β-hematin and PfCRT models. Additional docking analyses identified PfGluPho, PfMAPK, and PfPFT-β as potential targets. In vivo, UDCA reduced parasitemia in a dose-dependent manner without significant toxicity. Conclusions: UDCA exhibited moderate antiplasmodial activity across in vitro, in silico, and in vivo evaluations with a favorable selectivity profile, supporting further investigation of bile acid-like metabolites as potential antimalarial scaffolds. Full article

Background: Sarcopenia and frailty are highly prevalent extrapulmonary manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are strongly associated with reduced exercise tolerance, exacerbation risk, hospitalizations, and mortality. Beyond inflammation, oxidative stress, and physical inactivity, emerging evidence highlights nutrition as a major modifiable driver of muscle deterioration in COPD. Nutritional deficits impair anabolic signaling, exacerbate proteolysis, worsen mitochondrial dysfunction, and contribute to frailty progression. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes evidence from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to 2025, integrating mechanistic, metabolic, nutritional, and biomarker-related pathways underlying muscle dysfunction in COPD. Studies examining inflammation, hypoxemia, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance, nutrition, and emerging biomarkers were included. Results: COPD-related sarcopenia results from converging inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6), catabolic (FOXO, UPS), metabolic, and vascular mechanisms, compounded by energy deficiency, protein insufficiency, and micronutrient deficits. Inadequate intake of protein, vitamin D, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids increase anabolic resistance, enhance muscle catabolism, and worsen frailty. Nutritional interventions, particularly high-protein supplementation, leucine-enriched formulas, vitamin D repletion, omega-3 fatty acids, and multimodal nutrition–exercise programs, demonstrate benefits in muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. Biomarkers such as GDF-15, CAF22, and specific microRNAs reflect nutritional status and correlate with muscle health in COPD. Conclusions: Sarcopenia and frailty in COPD arise from a complex interplay of inflammatory, metabolic, nutritional, and lifestyle-related factors. Integrating nutritional assessment and targeted dietary interventions with exercise and pulmonary rehabilitation is essential to counteract anabolic resistance and improve functional outcomes. Advances in biomarker research may support earlier diagnosis and personalized nutrition-based therapeutic strategies. Full article

Decades of research demonstrate that vigilance deteriorates rapidly and reliably and is often resistant to motivational override, yet ergonomic practice continues to assign monitoring tasks on assumptions the evidence does not consistently support. This paper argues that attentional capacity may be genuinely bound by biological architecture rather than merely variable in response to conditions. Drawing on empirical research and occupational vigilance data, we argue for what might be understood as a recovery of the foundational human factors philosophy of accommodation, calling for ergonomic design to redistribute cognitive work across human and machine capabilities in ways that respect the real limits of human attention. Full article

Mounting acaricide resistance in Tetranychus mexicanus (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), among the most damaging phytophagous mites in tropical and subtropical crops, has intensified the search for botanical alternatives. An oil-in-water nanoemulsion of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TVEO-NE) was developed and evaluated for lethal and sublethal effects on adult females of T. mexicanus. TVEO, composed mainly of thymol (45%) and p-cymene (37%), was formulated by low-energy emulsification yielding stable dispersions (~200 nm; PDI < 0.25; zeta potential of −22.2 mV). At 30.0 mg a.i./mL, TVEO-NE caused 68.3% corrected mortality at 72 h and suppressed fecundity by ~44–52%; vehicle controls exerted only moderate effects, identifying the essential oil as the primary bioactive driver. Morphological examination revealed collapse of female idiosomata and disruption of excretory pellet architecture, corroborating the bioassay data. Molecular docking against a cathepsin L homology model revealed that thymol and p-cymene interact exclusively via hydrophobic contacts and display substantially lower ChemPLP fitness scores than the reference cysteine protease inhibitor E64, indicating weak predicted binding affinity and arguing against enzyme inhibition as the primary mechanism. Taken together, bioassay, morphological, and docking are consistent with supporting membrane partitioning as a plausible primary mode of action, positioning TVEO-based nanoemulsions as promising botanical tools for T. mexicanus management. Full article

With the expansion of ammonia energy applications, long-distance liquid ammonia pipelines are expected to support large-scale cross-regional ammonia transport. In the liquid ammonia pipeline commissioning process, gaseous ammonia purging involves ammonia–nitrogen mixing and possible liquefaction, while liquid ammonia injection may induce flashing and severe local cooling, all of which can affect commissioning safety. To characterize these thermodynamic phenomena, a transient gas–liquid two-phase flow model was established and validated using OLGA 2022.1.0 software for simulating the long-distance liquid ammonia pipeline commissioning. The model adopts the cross-sectionally averaged one-dimensional approach. A volume-corrected Soave–Redlich–Kwong (SRK) equation of state for ammonia was adapted, validated, and used to generate OLGA-compatible thermodynamic property tables. The results show that, during gaseous ammonia purging, a higher flowrate shortens the displacement time by accelerating nitrogen removal, and this effect is more pronounced at higher ambient temperatures due to enhanced molecular diffusion. Along the pipeline, pressure gradually decreases from frictional resistance, with a steeper drop near the outlet caused by gas acceleration, and temperature gradually approaches ambient through heat exchange with the pipe wall and surrounding soil. A high gaseous ammonia flowrate can cause partial liquefaction, regasification, and temperature fluctuations. During liquid ammonia injection, local condensation and slight liquid accumulation occur before the liquid front arrives, and the low-temperature region moves with the liquid front. The liquid ammonia mass flowrate has the strongest influence on the injection process, as it reduces the completion time but increases the outlet temperature, outlet pressure, and the low-temperature risk downstream of the valve. Therefore, it should be controlled within an appropriate range to balance efficiency and low-temperature safety risks. This work provides a rapid and efficient prediction model for key thermo-hydraulic parameters during liquid ammonia pipeline commissioning, and the overall analyses offer insights for on-site process design and safety control. Full article

Hydraulic synchronous jacking technology is extensively employed in bridge reconstruction and new construction, with jacking supports serving as core components whose blast resistance is critical to the structural safety of the bridge jacking system. This study numerically investigates the dynamic response and damage behavior of bridge jacking supports subjected to under-deck gas explosion loading through the finite-element software LS-DYNA. The TNT equivalent method is adopted to convert gas explosion load into equivalent TNT detonation load for simulation, and the effects of TNT detonation location on the blast-resistance performance of the jacking support are analyzed. The results indicate that the bridge segment temporarily loses contact with the jacking support under the action of gas explosion loading. The bridge segment around the web plate undergoes shear damage because of the deformation constraint effect of the web plate. The shear damage level of the bridge segment increases with the increase in TNT mass. The displacement of the jacking support increases with the increase in the mass of the explosive. The enhanced rod around the edge steel pipe support is more prone to damage due to its low local stiffness. The damage level of the bridge segment increases with the decrease in the distance between the TNT detonation and the bridge segment, and then the blast-resistance performance of the jacking support is almost unrelated to the vertical distance. The transverse distance between the TNT detonation and the jacking support has a significant effect on the response of jacking support. Full article

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly adopted in life-science research for scientific writing, coding, literature synthesis, workflow troubleshooting, and preliminary data interpretation. In microbial genomics and bioinformatics, their appeal is clear because researchers routinely integrate genome annotations, antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence determinants, taxonomic assignments, microbiome outputs, workflow scripts, and primary literature. Yet this domain also highlights major risks, including hallucinated biological claims, inaccurate citations, irreproducible code, unsupported genotype-to-phenotype inference, and inappropriate clinical or public health framing. This narrative review examines responsible LLM use in microbial genomics as a representative life-science setting where interpretation depends on database provenance, validated workflows, expert assessment, and reproducible evidence chains. It considers applications in genome annotation, antimicrobial resistance interpretation, virulence analysis, microbiome and metagenomics workflows, coding support, and scientific writing. The review further presents MicrobeGuardGPT as a conceptual reliability framework for assessing LLM-assisted microbial genomics outputs before scientific, clinical, or public health use. By connecting task domains, evidence verification, expert validation, and reliability classification, the framework supports risk-aware LLM integration in bioinformatics. Responsible implementation will require domain-specific benchmarks, curated database linkage, transparent reporting, reproducible workflows, human oversight, and governance standards tailored to biological interpretation across research, diagnostic, surveillance, outbreak-response, educational, and translational contexts. Full article

Tousled-like kinases 1 and 2 (TLK1 and TLK2) are paralogous serine/threonine kinases that share high sequence similarity yet exhibit functional divergence in cellular processes such as DNA replication, damage response, and chromatin organization. This study elucidates the paralog-specific co-phosphoregulatory networks underlying this divergence through a comprehensive analysis of 3825 human phosphoproteomic articles. Predominant phosphosites were identified as S134 and T38 for TLK1 and S73, S99, and S111 for TLK2, revealing context-dependent regulation across cancers and perturbations. Co-phosphoregulation analyses uncovered distinct networks: TLK1 associates with DNA damage signaling via proteins like ABRAXAS1, PML, and RAD9A, while TLK2 integrates with chromatin remodeling and replication through CHD4, DOT1L, NASP, and RNF20. Upstream kinases for TLK2, predominantly CDKs, link it to cell-cycle progression, whereas downstream substrates and binary interactors converge on genome stability pathways with paralog-specific nuances. These findings highlight the potential role of TLK1 on checkpoint activation and TLK2 on replication-coupled chromatin maintenance, providing insights into their roles in cancer amplification and therapeutic resistance, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders, where emerging evidence also support the involvement of TLK1 alongside TLK2. Full article

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 exhibits extensive genetic diversity, which has important implications for molecular epidemiology, recombinant-pattern assessment, and antiretroviral resistance surveillance. In Mexico, HIV-1 molecular surveillance has historically relied mainly on partial pol gene sequencing, limiting the ability to compare lineage assignments across gag, pol, and env regions. We analyzed plasma samples from 40 treatment-naïve adults receiving care at a tertiary-care hospital in Mexico using a commercial amplicon-based multiregion HIV-1 genomic sequencing workflow. DeepChek^® was used as the primary workflow for read processing, mutation calling, region-level subtype assignment, and antiretroviral resistance interpretation. Resistance interpretation was restricted to antiretroviral target regions with sufficient coverage, mainly reverse transcriptase, protease, integrase, and capsid, when available. Drug resistance mutations were identified in 6/40 participants (15.0%) when mutation-level resistance findings in RT, PR, and IN were considered; one additional sample showed a capsid inhibitor-nonsusceptible NGS call. NNRTI-associated findings were identified in 2/40 patients (5.0%), whereas NRTI- and PI-associated findings were identified in 1/40 patients (2.5%). Accessory or secondary INSTI-associated substitutions were detected in 2/40 patients (5.0%). Region-level subtype analysis revealed frequent discordant assignments across amplified segments, which is consistent with complex mosaic profiles; however, these findings are interpreted as region-level subtypes and recombinant-pattern assignments rather than continuous whole-genome recombination maps. One sample had insufficient RT/PROT/INT coverage for drug resistance interpretation in the complete DeepChek report and was retained only for regions meeting quality thresholds. These findings support the value of multiregion HIV-1 sequencing for local molecular surveillance while emphasizing the need for transparent region-level coverage reporting, cautious interpretation of recombinant-pattern calls, and transparent repository reporting. Full article